When Will Collins heard Lloyd Furman wouldn’t seek another term as Langley mayor, he decided it was his sign to run.

“I think I can do that, I’ll run for mayor,” Collins said, looking back in an interview Monday.

What he lacks in political experience, Collins makes up in community involvement. From Hearts and Hammers to the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, he is a recognizable, smiling volunteer face around South Whidbey.

Collins has lived in Langley for the past 17 years, and an additional 10 on South Whidbey. He began working in construction on Whidbey Island and later went on to own and operate Twin View Realty. Before he came to Whidbey Island, Collins served four years in the Air Force, and earned an AA degree in liberal arts from Orange Coast College.

Collins has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, the Senior Center, South Whidbey Historical Society, South Whidbey High School PTSA and through the Langley United Methodist Church, to name a few.

Against his opponent, current council member Neil Colburn — who has a long list of city and government experience — Collins hopes his people skills and life experiences are enough to give him Langley’s votes.

“Our type of government works well when there’s choices,” Collins said.

Other than running for a school board position almost 10 years ago, he says his lack of political experience could be a positive for him because he isn’t registered as a member of a particular party.

“Those are the labels that divide people,” he said.

Over the years, Collins has come to admire qualities of the Democrat, Republican, Green and Libertarian parties, and says his favorites of each make him the person he has become.

Community involvement in city government is a void Collins hopes to fill in Langley if he is voted mayor. He says for democracy to work, people need to know what the issues are about.

“I want to involve the citizenry in government.”

Some of the first issues Collins would to address if he becomes mayor, are a lack of parking, obtrusive lighting and accommodating growth. Most recently in Langley, the topic of growth has caught many residents’ attention.

“Langley is going to grow,” he said.

The key, according to Collins, will be to accommodate growth while maintaining the unique, small-town feel of Langley.

Because many people choose to live here, he said, most people retain the caring and thoughtful values that brought them to Whidbey Island in the first place.

Langley residents are Collins’ favorite aspect of Langley, and their generosity and concern for other people and their surrounding environment makes Langley a special place to live, he said.

With mail-in t ballots due to be sent to voters on Oct. 15, Collins showed no outward signs of nervousness Monday.

“It’s been so much fun. I thought I knew everybody,” he said of the people he has met in campaigning around Langley. “I’m ready for it, I want to be a part of this community.”